Yesterday we went over to Manchester for the day to watch The 30 year celebration tour ‘Wallace and Gromit’s Musical Marvels’ at The Lowry in Salford, where we were gifted tickets in exchange for a review.
Wallace and Gromit’s Musical Marvels is a different type of show than what is usually available at The Lowry as it is a combination of animated films and a live orchestra. If you have had the pleasure of watching the Snowman Tour then you will know exactly what I mean. The show is split into two halves each lasting 40 minutes with a 20 minute interval which is perfect timing for the smaller members of the audience.
The first half starts with the maestro over sleeping and having to race to the stage which we can watch via a short film. This was a great way to engage the children from the start and add some humor to the performance. It then proceeds to be a mixture of amazing live music, including a wonderful cover of bohemian rhapsody played by the Picture House Orchestra, who are all in Wallace and Gromit fancy dress costumes, alongside an interactive conversation between the orchestra and Wallace.
We enjoyed the first half, however our youngest who is 6 was getting restless towards the interval and the family behind us with toddlers were definitely struggling to keep them engaged. However the second half was much more child friendly as it is a showing of the well known episode of Wallace and Gromit ‘The Wrong Trousers’ accompanied by the orchestra playing the background music. Firstly this is fab for all ages, it’s enjoyable, funny, fast paced and I am pretty sure every person in the audience, including the more restless of children, were fixated on the film for the whole screening. Secondly, the music was astonishing. Not only did it sound beautiful but it was so perfectly timed that you could easily be forgiven for forgetting that it was being played live and assuming it was coming from the movie itself.
Wallace and Gromit’s Musical Marvels is a fantastic way to introduce children to a live orchestra and help them to appreciate the hard work, skill, and beauty of the music that they often take for granted when hearing it in films. It was also a great way to introduce the boys to one of my childhood favourites, Wallace and Gromit, as they came home last night and wanted to watch another episode ‘A Matter of Loaf and Death’ which is the best indicator of a show enjoyed if you ask me.
As a family we all enjoyed the show and all preferred the second half and in my personal opinion Wallace and Gromit’s Musical Marvels is best suited for children from the age of 6 but is definitely enjoyed and not just endured by the parents and grandparents that accompany them.
To check out when the Wallace and Gromit’s Musical Marvels Tour will be near you and to grab some tickets whilst you still can head over to their website and if you are planning on spending the day in Manchester then have a look at our list of things to do in Manchester to make the most out of your visit..
(We were gifted tickets to see the show in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.)